状態動詞 – Static Verbs in Japanese

Verbs can represent actions, movement, emotion or other situations such as statics. A static verb represents states or situations that are unchanging. This is in contrast to a dynamic verb which would be an action that is changing.

In English, standing would be a static state since nothing is change. Compare this to eating which changes as the food disappears from your plate.

How to make a Japanese Verb Static

In Japanese, you represent an unchanging state, or static situation usually by adding いる to the て-form of a verb.

死んでいるしんでいる
dead

落ちているおちている
dropped (and still on the ground)

忘れているわすれている
forgot

Adding いる to the end of every verb does not make it a static verb though. It depends on what the original verb is. So, いる may mean a continuation of a state or an action. 

https://japaneseuniverse.com/2024/02/18/pac-man-in-japaneseconcepts-behind-development-to-global-icon/

Static Verbs in Japanese

There are some verbs in Japanese though which are inherently static. So, you don’t need to add いる to these.

First, of course, the actual verb いる is a static verb. This verb means to be somewhere or exist and is used for animate or living things. Next, ある is the same as いる except for inanimate things and is also a static verb.

足たりる
be enough

違ちがう
be different / wrong

似にる
resemble

痛いたむ
hurt

思おもう
think

見みえる
can see / be visible

聞きこえる
can hear / be audible

分わかる
understand

似に合あう
to match or be suitable

できる
be able to

要いる
need

Other ways to Make Static Verbs

Also, anytime you use the potential form of a verb it is a static verb.

会あえる
can meet

読よめる
can read

書かける
can write

飛とべる
can fly

泳およげる
can swim

Finally, when you add 過すぎる to adjectives that makes them static verbs.

早はやすぎる
too early

遅おそすぎる
too late

多おおすぎる
too much

少すくないすぎる
too few

Resources

• Static Verbs